Picture hanger



Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICTURE HANGER William A. Cody, Clay Center, Kans. Application October 26, 1945, Serial No. 624,760

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a simple, emcient and inexpensive device adapted to suspend picture frames or other objects from a support, such for instance, as the wall of a room.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device attached to a wall and supporting the upper portion of a picture and its frame.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 4 of Fig. 2.

In its preferred form the device consists of a plate 2 of substantially rectangular form and provided at each end with a forwardly and up wardly turned prong 4, which tapers at its upper end to a sharp point 6 adapted to engage in the underside of the upper rail of a picture frame A. The upper central portion of the plate 2 has a forwardly projecting protuberance 8 pressed therefrom and pierced by a small aperture 9, which inclines toward the rear to receive and guide a supporting element such as a brad or small nail l0, when driven into a support such, for instance, as the wall B, Fig. 3.

In addition to the brad or nail [0, the plate 2 is further secured to the Wall B by a prong l2 which extends rearwardly from the lower margin of the plate and terminates in a point l4, so that it may be readily forced into the wall. The plate 2 consists preferably of sheet metal so that the prongs 4 and 12 can be readily stamped from the body of the plate without waste of material and the prongs 4 can be bent forward and upward while the prong I2 is bent rearward. Preferably the points 6 of the prongs 4 terminate below the upper margin of the plate 2 so that the latter can be handled without the fingers being pricked by the points 6. Also by extending the plate 2 above the prongs 4, the upper portion of the plate will act as a backing for the upper rail of the frame A and prevent said rail from contacting and damaging the finish on the wall B. The prong I 2 is preferably stamped from the central portion of the lower margin of the plate 2 and then bent backwardly to enter the Wall B at a point below the brad or nail l0, so as to cooperate with the latter in firmly securing the plate to the wall and preventing tipping of the plate from a horizontal position.

The device is applied to the wall in a horizontal position by placing the plate 2 against the wall with the two large prongs 4 in front and pointing upward. The lower prong I2 is then forced into the wall, after which the pointed end of the brad I0 is inserted in the aperture 8 in the protuberance 8 and then driven into the wall to an inclined position, where it cooperates with the lower prong l2 in firmly securing the plate to the wall. The picture frame may then be hung from the upper pointed ends of the prongs 4 by pressing the lower inside edge of the upper rail 5 downward upon the two points 6 to embed the latter in the rail. The top of the frame A may be tapped lightly with a hammer to insure embedment of the points 6 in the rail 5. When applying the plate 2 to the wall care should be exercised to place it in level position so that the picture will likewise be held level and not tilted to one side or the other.

One device will be sufiicient in safely supporting a picture, but if the latter is large and heavy two devices may be used.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a picture support which does not require strings, wire or other extraneous devices excepting the brad or nail l0, and while I have shown a preferred form of the invention I reserve all rights to such changes and modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A picture hanger comprising a plate, a prong struck from each end of the plate and bent forwardly and upwardly, each prong terminating in a point below the upper margin of the plate so that the latter will extend between a support and the upper rail of a picture secured upon the prongs, a prong stamped from the lower intermediate portion of the plate and bent backwardly and terminating in a point adapted to be forced into the support, a protuberance pressed outward from the upper intermediate portion of the plate and pierced by an aperture, and an element adapted to enter the aperture and be driven into the support.

WILLIAM A. CODY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 841,550 Leonard Jan. 15, 1907 992,203 Johnson May 16, 1911 1,210,034 Bishop Dec. 26, 1916 1,297,584 Mock Mar. 18, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 44,590 Sweden Feb. 18. 1916 

